"Not only A, but also B" has three common expressions in Japanese. They mean essentially the same thing — the difference is formality level.
だけでなく…も: Everyday Version
「だけでなく」is the most versatile — works in both speech and writing:
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ビールだけでなく、日本酒もたくさん買わされてしまった。 | Not only beer — I was made to buy lots of sake too. |
| 彼は英語だけでなく、フランス語も話せる。 | He can speak not only English but also French. |
Connection: Noun + だけでなく; verb plain form + だけでなく
The も in the Second Clause
The second clause typically uses も to echo the pattern — "not only A, B also...":
- 英語だけでなく、フランス語も話せる。
- 勉強だけでなく、スポーツも得意だ。
ばかりでなく…も: Slightly Formal Version
「ばかりでなく」means exactly the same as「だけでなく」but is slightly more formal:
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 彼女は頭がいいばかりでなく、性格もいい。 | She's not only smart but has a great personality too. |
| この薬は子供ばかりでなく、大人にも効く。 | This medicine works not only for children but for adults too. |
In casual speech, ばっかりでなく is common (ばかり → ばっかり is a colloquial contraction).
のみならず…も: Written/Formal Version
「のみならず」is the most formal, commonly found in news, papers, and speeches:
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| この病院のみならず、大学附属病院でも看護師が不足している。 | Not only this hospital, but even university-affiliated hospitals are short on nurses. |
| 国内のみならず、海外でも人気がある。 | Popular not only domestically but internationally as well. |
Connection: Noun + のみならず; verb plain form + のみならず
Three-Way Comparison
| Expression | Formality | Usage | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| だけでなく | ★☆☆ | Everyday/universal | 英語だけでなく |
| ばかりでなく | ★★☆ | Slightly formal | 英語ばかりでなく |
| のみならず | ★★★ | Written/formal | 英語のみならず |
Core rule: All three mean exactly the same thing — only the formality increases. For exams, know all three. For daily use, だけでなく is sufficient.
Related Expressions
に限らず
「に限らず」also means "not limited to..." — similar to だけでなく but emphasizes lack of restriction:
- 日本に限らず、世界中で問題になっている。 → Not limited to Japan, it's a problem worldwide.
はもちろん
「はもちろん」means "A goes without saying, and B too...":
- 日本語はもちろん、英語もペラペラだ。 → Japanese goes without saying — they're also fluent in English.
Summary
- だけでなく…も = not only...but also (universal)
- ばかりでなく…も = not only...but also (slightly formal)
- のみならず…も = not only...but also (written/literary)
- All three are identical in meaning; the second clause typically uses も
- のみならず is a frequent exam target
Practice
1. Rewrite in a more formal register:
田中さんは歌がうまいだけでなく、ダンスもうまい。
Show answer
田中さんは歌がうまいのみならず、ダンスもうまい。 Replace だけでなく with のみならず.
2. Complete with だけでなく:
この映画は日本____、海外____人気がある。
Show answer
この映画は日本だけでなく、海外でも人気がある。 This movie is popular not only in Japan but overseas as well.
3. Can ばかりでなく and だけでなく be used interchangeably?
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In nearly all cases, yes — the meaning is identical. The only difference is that ばかりでなく is slightly more formal. For everyday conversation, だけでなく sounds more natural.